Youth boxing team assessed in Swakop ahead of Region 5 Games
Boxing
Namibia's national youth boxing team concluded its final selection tournament over the weekend in Swakopmund, as part of preparations for the upcoming African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games.
Namibia’s national youth boxing team concluded its final selection tournament over the weekend in Swakopmund, as part of preparations for the upcoming African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games.
The tournament, hosted at the Multi-Purpose Centre in Mondesa, featured 14 bouts between the national youth squad and boxers from the Erongo region. It formed the final assessment phase for the 11 athletes selected to represent Namibia at the regional competition.
Chairperson of the technical committee for the games, Abner Xoagub, said the week-long training camp in Swakopmund was a critical component in evaluating readiness.
“We had the boys training across different settings – the dunes, the beach, the gyms. They sparred almost every day,” he said.
He described the weekend tournament as key in identifying remaining technical and tactical weaknesses.
“From here we return to Windhoek for a final preparation programme focused on physical fitness, technique, mental readiness, and athlete counselling,” Xoagub explained.
Xoagub emphasised that amateur boxing is about precision, not brute force.
“This is the science of boxing. It’s about scoring points through clearly visible, accurate strikes – and it takes a lot of mental discipline," he explained.
He added that the process included full medical checks, safeguarding measures, and parental indemnity consents.
“All the boxers are under 17. We made sure every parent was informed and involved. A medical team was present throughout," he assured.
The Region 5 Youth Games will be held in Namibia from 2 to 14 July, featuring ten SADC nations competing in multiple disciplines including boxing, athletics, swimming, judo, karate, and Paralympic events.
Xoagub noted that beyond the Region 5 Games, Namibia’s young athletes are also being prepared for the African Schools Sports Games in Algeria in July and the African Youth Championships in Angola in December, which serve as qualifiers for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
“These athletes represent the future of Namibian sport. We need to invest in them, guide them, and protect them. That’s our job,” Xoagub said.
The tournament, hosted at the Multi-Purpose Centre in Mondesa, featured 14 bouts between the national youth squad and boxers from the Erongo region. It formed the final assessment phase for the 11 athletes selected to represent Namibia at the regional competition.
Chairperson of the technical committee for the games, Abner Xoagub, said the week-long training camp in Swakopmund was a critical component in evaluating readiness.
“We had the boys training across different settings – the dunes, the beach, the gyms. They sparred almost every day,” he said.
He described the weekend tournament as key in identifying remaining technical and tactical weaknesses.
“From here we return to Windhoek for a final preparation programme focused on physical fitness, technique, mental readiness, and athlete counselling,” Xoagub explained.
Xoagub emphasised that amateur boxing is about precision, not brute force.
“This is the science of boxing. It’s about scoring points through clearly visible, accurate strikes – and it takes a lot of mental discipline," he explained.
He added that the process included full medical checks, safeguarding measures, and parental indemnity consents.
“All the boxers are under 17. We made sure every parent was informed and involved. A medical team was present throughout," he assured.
The Region 5 Youth Games will be held in Namibia from 2 to 14 July, featuring ten SADC nations competing in multiple disciplines including boxing, athletics, swimming, judo, karate, and Paralympic events.
Xoagub noted that beyond the Region 5 Games, Namibia’s young athletes are also being prepared for the African Schools Sports Games in Algeria in July and the African Youth Championships in Angola in December, which serve as qualifiers for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
“These athletes represent the future of Namibian sport. We need to invest in them, guide them, and protect them. That’s our job,” Xoagub said.
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